Book Review: If Walls Could Talk

This book could more accurately be called “Every day life in pre-modern England.” It’s great for anyone who wants to learn about what every day life in England was like in the middle ages through the early 20th century. Categorized by themes around bathroom, bedroom, living room, and kitchen, it deals with what people ate, how they slept, where they went to the bathroom, and where they met people to socialize.
I’ve read other books about this subject, especially about kitchen technology and food, but even so, this book had considerable overlap. Worsley has done extensive research. I can’t believe I never knew that a trencher was the burned bottom of a piece of bread, for example. I’d also never read about where the King went pee, and who saw when he did. She has a way of caring about even the nitty-gritty details that’s rare in historical non-fiction.

I recommend this for anyone who wants to learn about every-day life in pre-modern England.